About Me

~~~QUITE SIMPLY, I'M VEGAN AND LOVE TO COOK! ~~~ Over the years, I've collected tons of "Favorite Family Recipes" that I'm gradually veganizing. Friends and family are ALWAYS asking for recipes, so I decided to post them here.
~~~~ If I get an idea from a cookbook, I'll be sure and note it, but most ideas are recipes I've modified 'till they don't resemble the original, or I got from family members, or came up with thru trial and error.
~~~~ That said: I'm first-and-foremost a MOM to three wonderful Veggie Kids who are my life, my passion, my WORLD!
~~~~ I'm in that "over-forty" crowd (though you know what they say about us "older women"!)and lovin' it - I wouldn't trade this age for any other.
~~~ Of course, I'm vegan and passionate about my lifestyle, sharing recipes and ideas, and showing people all the tasty goodies that we Vegans eat!
~~~ What else...Oh, I'm also a Special Education Teacher working in a program with Autistic Kindergarteners.
~~~ My life is full and challenging, exhausting and exhilerating. Most days I love it. Other days I come home and turn into a couch potato and snuggle with my girls.

Blog Archive

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

OK, I promise I'm not throwing out my stove and going all "raw foods on anyone. Especially here in damp, chilly Washington State! But I do admit some of the dishes are beautiful and even interesting.

(Check out some of the amazing raw foods created by my friend, Mariela, the awesomely creative chef at "Vegan Santa Fe" a little vegan and raw-foods cafe in, you guessed it, Santa Fe, New Mexico. I do have to say, I would LOVE to try probably everything she makes!)

The colors and flavor combinations DO inspire the creative side of me just a bit, regardless of the fact that I will probably always prefer most of my food all toasty and warm.

Well, since I just happened to be feeling creative and adventurous this morning, as well as actually having a little time and a few interesting ingredients on hand. (This NEVER happens!)

I had wanted to try a cooked variation on a "raw" soup I'd seen recently, but figured I might as well get REALLY daring and try something raw for a change. And since in the end, my version didn't resemble the original at all, and since it turned out surprisingly delicious, I just thought I'd post it for your entertainment. Yes, for those of you who know me and my home-cooked-warm-cozy leanings... yes, I made something RAW and I liked it!

And even if you aren't into the whole raw foods excitement, this would make a refreshing first course or "in-between" sort of thing for a Holiday meal...

Now, I can't swear that everything in this is totally "raw" 'cause I'm the first to admit I don't know about those things, but here ya go.

1 teaspoon tamari (which I know isn't raw, but I think Braggs is, you'd have to use more though I think)

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

salt (if needed) to taste

Cashew-Coconut Cream (recipe follows)

Zest the oranges, slice and chop the oranges up, looking for seeds and excessive stringy white stuff as you go.

Put all ingredients (including the orange zest, unless you want to reserve a few strands for garnish) into your blender (this is where a really strong blender is nice) or use a food processor and puree, adding more water if needed to get to the right consistency for you.

I strained mine at this point because the little cranberry seeds bugged me and my ginger was a bit stringy too. But that step is totally unnecessary!!

Put in a bowl, swirl some Cashew Cream through and serve. Or drink from a mug like I did because I'm unsophisticated that way. This is SOOOO pretty and vibrant orange and fall-like, sorry my picture sucks.

Cashew-Coconut Cream

Now this, I have been making for several years, it just occurred to me that it would work well here because it's raw!!

3/4 cup cashews (Though I think maybe even raw ones, like almonds, have been heated)

1/4 cup untoasted, unsweetened coconut flakes (or chunks of fresh coconut if you have it, but who ever does?)

Soak nuts and coconut in 2 cups of water in the 'fridge overnight. Drain. In a blender, place the nuts and enough fresh water to allow the blender to operate.Blend, adding water or soymilk until right consistency. Sweeten to taste. You can then chill and whip with an electric mixer if you want it more "whipped" though I didn't do that for the soup...

Oooh raw soup! Sounds very interesting I must say. I am sure it was delicious!I am tagging you for this fun survey going around. Jusr check my blog to see what to doveganview.blogspot.com ;)Keep up the awesome work!

That sounds great! Wish I'd have had me a bowl of that during my cleanse yesterday...I believe miso is raw as I've seen it in raw recipes. I don't think Braggs is, but Namo Shoyu is...I think it's more expensive though (of course...).

Hey Tofu Mama! This is Mariela. Congratulations on your beautiful (and what sounds like a very yummy) soup. To answer your question Miso is considered living/raw if you use the unpasteurized version. Instead of Tamari, you can use Nama Shoyu which is a unpasteurized version of soy sauce. Soy sauce (whether is tamari,nama shoyu, or substituted with Bragg's) tends to be salty, so I would recommend to taste the soup before you add the sea salt. LOVE YA! May you have a rawsome week!